2005 Grand National

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2005 Grand National
Grand National
2005 Grand National logo.jpg
Owner Mr Trevor Hemmings emerald cap.svg
Location Aintree
Date9 April 2005
Winning horse Flag of Ireland.svg Hedgehunter
Starting price 7/1 F
Jockey Flag of Ireland.svg Ruby Walsh
Trainer Flag of Ireland.svg Willie Mullins
Owner Flag of England.svg Trevor Hemmings
Conditions Good to soft
  2004
2006  
External video
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Replay of the 2005 Grand National in full Racing TV, YouTube

The 2005 Grand National (officially known as the John Smith's Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 158th official annual running of the Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 9 April 2005 [1] and attracted the maximum permitted field of 40 competitors for total prize money of £700,000 including £406,000 to the winner. [2]

Contents

The nine-year-old 7/1 favourite Hedgehunter, ridden by Ruby Walsh and trained by Willie Mullins, won the race by 14 lengths, in a time of 9 minutes 21 seconds. 40/1 shot Royal Auclair finished second, from 66/1-rated Simply Gifted in third.

The start of the race was moved back 25 minutes to avoid clashing with the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. Over half of the field completed the course and all the horses returned safely, although Frenchman's Creek was retired afterward. There was much media interest in Carrie Ford, the rider of Forest Gunner, who was considered the first genuine opportunity a woman had to win a Grand National. The pairing was sent off as second-favourite and finished fifth.

The showpiece race was seen by the largest attendance at Aintree since the Monday National of 1997, with a crowd of 70,850 people, and a total of 151,660 over the course of the three-day meeting. [3]

Racecard

NoHorseAgeHandicap

(St-lb)

SP JockeyTrainer
1Le Coudray (FR)1111-1233/1Conor O'DwyerChristy Roche
2Royal Auclair (FR)811-1040/1Christian Williams Paul Nicholls
3 Monty's Pass (IRE)1211-0633/1 Barry Geraghty Jimmy Mangan
4Fondmort (FR)911-0650/1 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
5Take The Stand (IRE)911-0516/1 Leighton Aspell Peter Bowen
6Ballycassidy (IRE)911-0566/1Seamus DurackPeter Bowen
7Ballybough Rasher (IRE)1011-04100/1Alan DempseyHoward Johnson
8Risk Accessor (IRE)1011-04100/1Alan CroweChristy Roche
9 Bindaree (IRE)1111-0333/1Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies
10Amberleigh House (IRE)1311-0316/1 Graham Lee Ginger McCain
11Hedgehunter (IRE)911-017/1 F Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
12Foly Pleasant (FR)1111-0050/1 Andrew Thornton Karen Waldron
13Astonville (FR)1110-13100/1Brian CrowleyMichael Scudamore
14Ad Hoc (IRE)1110-1233/1Joe TizzardPaul Nicholls
15Heros Collonges (FR)1010-1166/1John McNamaraPaul Nicholls
16Glenelly Gale (IRE)1110-11150/1Mr Tom GreenallArthur Moore
17It Takes Time (IRE)1110-1118/1 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe
18Clan Royal (FR)1010-119/1 Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill
19Nil Desperandum (IRE)810-1116/1 Jim Culloty Francis Crowley
20Joly Bey (FR)810-1016/1Mr David DunsdonNick Gifford
21Jakari (FR)810-1033/1 Richard Johnson Henry Daly
22Frenchman's Creek1110-0950/1Jimmy McCarthyHughie Morrison
23Iznogoud (FR)910-09125/1 Tom Scudamore Martin Pipe
24Polar Red810-08100/1Tom MaloneMartin Pipe
25Double Honour (FR)710-0825/1 Paddy Brennan Philip Hobbs
26Forest Gunner1110-078/1Carrie FordRichard Ford
27Colonel Rayburn (IRE)910-0720/1 Paul Carberry Paul Nolan
28Just In Debt (IRE)910-0733/1 Tony Dobbin Martin Todhunter
29Spot Thedifference (IRE)1210-0725/1 Robbie Power Enda Bolger
30Innox (FR)910-0616/1 Robert Thornton Francois Doumen
31Strong Resolve (IRE)910-069/1Peter Buchanan Lucinda Russell
32Shamawan (IRE)1010-06200/1Shay BarryJonjo O'Neill
33Lord Atterbury (IRE)910-0625/1Mark BradburneMartin Pipe
34Europa910-06150/1 Jason Maguire Ferdy Murphy
35Merchants Friend (IRE)1010-0680/1 Noel Fehily Charlie Mann
36Simply Gifted1010-0666/1Brian HardingJonjo O'Neill
37Arctic Copper (IRE)1110-06200/1 Davy Russell Noel Meade
38Native Emperor910-05100/1Dominic ElsworthJonjo O'Neill
39Marcus Du Berlais (FR)810-0525/1Barry CashArthur Moore
40L'Aventure (FR)610-0566/1Bobby McNallyPaul Nicholls

Finishing order

PositionNameRiderAgeWeight (st-lb) SP Distance or fate
1st Hedgehunter Ruby Walsh 911–17/1 F14 lengths
2ndRoyal AuclairChristian Williams811–1040/1A head
3rdSimply GiftedBrian Harding1010–666/14 lengths
4thIt Takes Time Timmy Murphy 1110–1118/19 lengths
5thForest GunnerCarrie Ford1110–78/1½ length
6thNil Desperandum Jim Culloty 810–1116/111 lengths
7thInnox Robert Thornton 910–611/13½ lengths
8thHeros CollongesJohn P. McNamara1010–1166/12½ lengths
9thJust in Debt Tony Dobbin 910–733/15 lengths
10th Amberleigh House Graham Lee 1311–316/11½ lengths
11th Bindaree Carl Llewellyn1111–333/11 length
12thIznogoud Tom Scudamore 910–9125/11¼ lengths
13thPolar RedTom Malone810–8100/19 lengths
14thJoly BayMr. David Dunsdon810–1016/115 lengths
15thL'aventureRobbie McNally610–566/15 lengths
16th Monty's Pass Barry Geraghty 1211–633/16 lengths
17thStrong ResolvePeter Buchanan910/69/116 lengths
18thSpot Thedifference Robbie Power 1210–725/117 lengths
19thArctic Copper Davy Russell 1110–6200/121 lengths
20thEuropa Jason Maguire 910–6150/114 lengths
21stShamawanJames Barry1010–6200/1Last to finish
Non finishers
Fence 28Fondmort Mick Fitzgerald 911–650/1Tailed off, pulled up
Fence 28Glenelly GaleMr. Tom Greenall1110–11150/1Tailed off, pulled up
Fence 27 (open ditch)Colonel Rayburn Paul Carberry 910–720/1Tailed off, pulled up
Fence 22 (Becher's Brook)Clan Royal Tony McCoy 1010–119/1Carried out by loose horses
Ad HocJoe Tizzard1110–1233/1Fell
Marcus Du BerlaisBarry Cash810–525/1Unseated rider
Ballybough RasherAlan Dempsey1011-04100/1Refused
Fence 21Double Honour Paddy Brennan 710–825/1Fell
Le CoudrayConor O'Dwyer1111–1233/1Tailed off, pulled up
Fence 20Foly Pleasant Andrew Thornton 1111–050/1Fell
Fence 19 (open ditch)Jakari Richard Johnson 810–1033/1Tailed off, pulled up
Fence 15 (The Chair)Take The Stand Leighton Aspell 911–516/1Unseated rider
Fence 13AstonvilleBrian Crowley1110–13100/1Pulled up
Fence 10Merchant's Friend Noel Fehily 1010–680/1Fell
Fence 9 (Valentine's)Native EmperorDominic Elsworth910–5100/1Unseated rider
Fence 2BallycassidySeamus Durack911–566/1Unseated rider
Risk AccessorAlan Crowe1011–4100/1Unseated rider
Fence 1Lord AtterburyMark Bradburne910–625/1Fell
Frenchman's CreekJames McCarthy1110–950/1Unseated rider

Media coverage & course modifications

Ruby Walsh has sailed over the last in front on Hedgehunter... They're at the elbow in the National. Ruby Walsh is going strongly. He's six lengths clear of Royal Auclair and Simply Gifted... and Ruby Walsh is going to win the Grand National! Fell at the last last year but too good for them this time! Hedgehunter wins it, a second Grand National for Ruby.

Commentator Jim McGrath describes the climax of the race

The race was covered live by the BBC on television and radio in the United Kingdom in accordance with the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events which recognises the Grand National as a sporting event of significant public interest.

The television coverage was presented by Sue Barker and Clare Balding and was part of a Grandstand special for the 46th consecutive year. Race commentary was provided by a four-man team consisting of Ian Bartlett, Tony O'Hehir, Darren Owen, and lead commentator Jim McGrath who called the runners home for the eighth year.

Becher's Brook was modified slightly after a mini pile-up in the 2004 renewal. Running water was back at the fence for the first time since 1989 which was covered over by rubber matting.

Jockeys

Carl Llewellyn had been the senior rider in the weighing room since the retirement of Richard Dunwoody after the 1999 race and became only the ninth rider ever to weigh out for a 15th National, having previously won the race in 1992 and 1998.

Nine riders made their Grand National debut, with Christian Williams finishing second and Carrie Ford fifth, while Tom Malone, David Dunsdon, Peter Buchanon and Robbie Power also completed the course. However, Alan Crowe's first ride ended at the second fence while Paddy Brennan and Tom Greenall also failed to reach the finishing post.

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